This is the live blog for the 49ers 2023 week two matchup with the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. The winner today will take the top spot in the NFC West. I will provide live updates and analysis from the press box throughout the game.
11:30 Here are my five burning questions the 49ers need to answer today.
11:37 Inactive for the 49ers today: QB Brandon Allen, OL Nick Zakelj, DL Kalia Davis, LB Jalen Graham, RB Ty Davis-Price
Rookie linebacker Dee Winters and rookie tight end Brayden Willis will make their regular season debuts for the 49ers today. Also making his NFL debut today will be cornerback Tre Swilling. San Francisco elevated Swilling from the practice squad this week to replace Samuel Womack who was placed on injured reserve with a knee injury.
11:40 Inactive for the Rams today: RB Cam Akers, RB Zach Evans, OL Kevin Dotson, OL Warren McClendon Jr, DE Desjuan Johnson
Cam Akers is listed as the starting running back on the depth chart provided to media at the game. However, Los Angeles has deactivated Akers. According to Jay Glazer of Fox Sports, the Rams are actively seeking a trade for Akers and have already talked with other teams.
12:35 San Francisco has four tight ends up for this game. May be a sign they plan to run the ball, A LOT.
12:45 Fans are filing into the stadium. Based on the amount of red in the building it is easy to see why some call this Levi’s Stadium South.
1:03 The 49ers lost the toss. Los Angeles deferred their choice to the second half. San Francisco will get the ball to start this one.
1:11 San Francisco’s offense has moved the ball to the Rams 35 with a good mix of run and pass. Kyle Shanahan calls timeout with his team facing 3rd and 7. The quick passing game has worked so far.
1:14 Purdy finds Brandon Aiyuk for a gain of 13 and a first down. Aiyuk is now in the blue medical tent. He came off with his left arm hanging to his side after his first catch of the game a few plays earlier.
1:19 Christian McCaffrey gives San Francisco its first points with a 14 yard touchdown run. It was an 11 play drive for the 49ers.
The 49ers ran their first 4 plays out of 21 personnel. Followed that up with 3 plays in 12 personnel, and finished with 3 plays in 11 personnel. That will provide good intel for Kyle Shanahan moving forward in this game.
Brock Purdy was 6-6 for 49 yards on the opening drive.
1:24 San Francisco’s defense opening with Deommodore Lenoir in the slot and Ambry Thomas on the boundary in their nickel defense.
1:25 Matthew Stafford showing how much better he is than Kenny Pickett, the quarterback San Francisco faced last week. Stafford is getting the ball out of his hands quickly and negating the 49ers pass rush. San Francisco has played soft coverage outside so far.
1:32 A holding call puts Los Angeles in a 1st and 20 situation. Tight coverage forces an incompletion and scramble from Stafford. San Francisco stops Puka Nacua short of a first down on a screen pass out to the left and the Rams settle for a field goal to make the score 7-3.
The coverage outside was too soft early on. Matthew Stafford will eat that up if it doesn’t change.
1:38 Brandon Aiyuk is back on the field after the injury scare.
1:39 Christian McCaffrey rips off a 51-yard gain on a toss around the left side.
Kyle Shanahan using more 11 personnel than normal in the early going of this one. He generally only uses this package on third down or long yardage situations..
1:46 Brandon Aiyuk can’t hold on to a quick throw from Purdy. Jake Moody comes on and puts the 49ers back up by 7.
1:50 Jake Moody with a shank on the kickoff. Great field position for the Rams offense all the way out at the 40.
1:51 Isaiah Oliver has replaced Ambry Thomas in the 49ers nickel group.
1:55 That was too easy for Los Angeles. Matthew Stafford has guys running free all over the field and he’s not missing. The veteran hits Kyren Williams on a screen to the right side on a screen and the back goes untouched into the endzone. Game tied at 10.
The defense made a big run stop on the previous play, but Dre Greenlaw kept going after the whistle and was called for a personal foul. He is good for one of those about every other game it seems like.
2:04 Brock Purdy had Brandon Aiyuk open deep down the right side and missed him with an overthrow. Byron Young gets to Purdy for a sack on third and long.
San Francisco opened the possession with a quick throw to Kittle for 12, then Deebo Samuel took an end around for 17 yards.
Right now it feels like the 49ers will need to score every time they have the ball to not let this one get away from them.
2:09 Between his soft coverage and being unable to keep up with rookie Puka Nacua, Charvarius Ward is having a rough go of it early on.
2:15 San Francisco needs to tighten up the back end of the defense. Matthew Stafford is finding the holes quickly right now
2:22 The Rams offensive is dominating right now. There is no pressure on Stafford, receivers running free, and the offensive line is getting a hat on every 49ers defender leading to wide open running lanes.
Kyren Williams caps off a 13-play, 88 yard drive with a four yard touchdown run.
San Francisco needs to get some points on a two minute drive before halftime. Remember, Los Angeles gets the ball to start the second half.
2:35 With just 1:45 to play and no timeouts, the 49ers offense goes 75-yards in seven plays and ties the game at 17 on a sneak by Brock Purdy.
Purdy with completions of 23, 9, and 20 on his first three throws of the drive. His deep shot to Deebo Samuel from the 20 drew a pass interference penalty to set up the touchdown play as time expired in the first half.
2:47 The most rushing yards by the Rams in their last 4 meetings with the 49ers is 64. They have 53 today at the half.
2:52 Rams right guard Joe Noteboom has to be helped off the field. He has been dealing with an ankle injury.
2:54 Isaiah Oliver comes up with a big stop to force a Rams punt. That 3rd and 5 is the longest distance the Rams have faced on third down since their opening drive of the game. They were stopped short on that 3rd and 13 play as well.
49ers take over at their own 18.
3:00 Facing 3rd and 7 at the 21, Brock Purdy had Jauan Jennings open on a deep slant, but overthrew the receiver. That is a bad miss, he needs to put that throw on a rope.
3:06 The 49ers with blitzes on consecutive passes by Matthew Stafford. The Rams quarterback hits them both. The first went for 15 yards, the second for 14.
3:07 Deommodore Lenoir leaves the game with an injury. Ambry Thomas is in at cornerback.
3:10 Huge stop by the 49ers defense. Stafford’s checkdown goes off the hands of running back Kyren Williams and Isaiah Oliver gets the interception. 49ers will take over at the 27. Good things have happened for San Francisco’s defense when the Rams have been in long yardage to go situations today.
3:16 Jake Moody hits from 57-yards out to give the 49ers a 20-17 lead.
Brock Purdy with another deep miss to force the field goal try. He had Deebo Samuel open on a post and overthrew it. That is the second big downfield miss by Purdy today.
3:21 The 49ers defense forces its first three and out of the game. Stafford threw incomplete on first and second down. On 3rd and 10, Fred Warner blitzed up the middle and recorded the first 49ers sack of the game.
3:23 Los Angeles faced third and more than four just once in the first half. That has changed this half with a 3rd and 5, and 3rd and 10. Both stops for San Francisco’s defense.
3:28 The 49ers ability to run the ball to their left has forced Aaron Donald to move over to that side, matching him up with Aaron Banks instead of Spencer Burford.
3:30 Purdy doesn’t miss deep this time. After a 16-yard completion to Deebo Samuel, Purdy goes deep off play action to Jauan Jennings for a 31-yard gain down the left side. Four plays later he throws a quick screen to Deebo Samuel out to his left and the wide receiver takes it in for a touchdown from 11 yards out.
San Francisco has opened up a 27-17 lead.
3:43 The 49ers defense has done a much better job on first and second down in the second half.
After the Rams drive to the 19, the defense forces Stafford into an intentional grounding penalty. They follow that up with pressure on second and third down leading to incompletions. Brett Maher comes on for a 48-yard field goal to make the score 27-20.
3:50 Needing a long drive, the 49ers offense instead goes three and out. Purdy was off the mark to Deebo Samuel on 3rd and 2. Rams take over at the 20.
3:54 Pressure up front and tight coverage on the back end leads to an interception of Stafford by Deommodore Lenoir. It came on 3rd and 5.
3:57 A pair of runs by McCaffrey pick up 7 before Purdy throws incomplete on third down. Jake Moody comes on and hits a 26-yard field goal to extend the 49ers lead to 10 with just under 3 minutes left to play.
4:02 Ballgame. A pair of incompletions by Stafford before he hits a nine yarder. On 4th and 1, Isaiah Oliver shoots in on a run blitz and drops Kyren Williams for a loss of one. 49ers will look to run out the clock on this one.
49ers win 30-23. I’ll be back soon with the answers to my burning questions for this game.
Thanks to everyone for following al0ng.
Jack
Really like that you’re in the Box for today’s game. Looking forward to your analysis and perspective.
I hope to see Kittle fully healthy and Bosa closer to 💯 play mode.
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Bosa will be in camp for the next 5 years but for now, he is doing a shortened camp. It may take another few games before he is 100% Bosa.
allie,
You could be right. But Bosa is going up an Oline that has had issues against NB. Bosa might actually accidentally get a sack against the rams.
AES / allie
I would expect it will take longer for Bosa, Hargrave, Armstead and Ferrell to get used to playing together, than it will take for Bosa to be 100%.
true..I wish the Niners had locked up Bosa months ago. He needs camp.
Jack
Can you (or anyone) provide any insight why Rams RB Cam Akers and Sean McVay have had a falling out?
* It was said last year that Akers felt he should be the workhorse RB. McVay gave Akers his wish the final 3 weeks of the season, running the ball consistently through the third-year back, who delivered 345 yards and 3 TD’s on 63 carries……Now the Rams are trying to trade him?
* How do you expect the Rams to divide up RB touches between Williams, Rivers and Evans?
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Kalia inactive. I want to see him as.. intriguing player. Same with Graham and Knight!
Right side of the O-Line is completely inept to start the game. Can’t run block, can’t block on the screen. They are quickly going to be forced to be completely left handed offense.
Interesting. Ronnie Bell with an instrumental block for CMac TD.
Very different look facing a quality QB this week. This will be a much better test for the pass defense than last week.
If I had to pick between anybody on this team (with the exception of Purdy) and CMac, I’d pick CMac. I except Purdy because he’s very good and is very cheap.
Moody looks like a new man.
And Moody proceeds to make the most fundamental mistake and kickoff out of bounds.
I spoke too soon..sniff
Where’s the rush? Stafford has all day.
So far it looks like the offense came to play. Wish I could say the same about the defense.
This is not the same defense as we saw last week. They look lost right now. Can’t even really slow the Rams passing attack. Zero pass rush, and DB’s nowhere near the receivers too often.
The defense looks disorganized. We need a rush!
This D looks terrible. Salah and Ryans were great at making adjustments, lets see id Wilkes can do the same.
Stafford can throw at will. All his receivers look like all-pro.
Ward looks old and slow. I thought he did at camp also.
This is too easy. This feels like last years Chiefs game. The defense has no answers. Hard to always win against a divisional opponent, the Rams are due.
Rams OL is dominating what’s probably the highest paid DL in the league.
No run defense either..really shocking.
This is not a Salah or Ryans defense
Is Bosa even playing today?
This is pathetic. Top rated defense, my ***
Great blocking from LA.
Last week people were fitting the Niners for their championship rings. This week the offense has been mediocre, and the defense is a flaming bag of 💩!
The defense couldn’t stop the run in the preseason, and today that has comeback. They also have no answers for Stafford and a collection of receivers nobody has ever heard of.
That was an awful collection of goal line play calls. Finally Purdy does it himself!
The offense looks very good. Unfortunately the Dline is getting beat badly. That’s on the players.
Love my Purdy
Give CMC a break..where is Michell
Hey, it’s still a tied game and it’s nice seeing the offense carry the woeful defense for once.
Shanahan showing great confidence in his offense (and QB) on that goal line play at the half.
Old Shanny would have kicked the FG. Maybe the QB change is really what’s unlocked this offense.
Lenoir has the correct number. He plays like #2.
Great play by the maligned Oliver.
The DB’s on this team are miserable tacklers in the backfield. Such a high rate of missed tackles.
Just like that an interception to show me up!
So far, Oliver is the MVP of this half.
Purdy has been truly awful on deep passes. Just terrible passes that have nothing to do with arm strength.
Big 🐓 Brock has missed 3 bombs today.
That last one was an easy throw just throw it towards the middle and let Deebo run across to it instead of over his head. No safety in the area.
A sack! Beginning to wonder what those are.
Yeah, Deebo!!!!!
Vintage Deebo TD!
There are other talented players on this team besides Deebo. Kyle crapped the bed on that series. Bad calls and a stupid timeout that could have caused him a fumble. Amazed the Rams didn’t challenge that play.
Lenoir with the great play. Let’s put this in for 7 and finish this game.
Another huge play by Oliver.
This D is going to be frustrating all year. They will not give up deep plays but they will give uo everything underneath. Oliver looks like the player I thought he was when they signed. Like I have been saying since last season BP is terrible on deep passes. Once again Donald was stymied. Deebo had a great game.
Not worried at all about Brock Purdy.
If you want a Mahomes you need to scout better, maybe get a little lucky and get a Mahomes. And that one will come along maybe once in a generation.
I think Purdy has shown every week to be a Pro Bowl caliber QB who makes great decisions with the football.
I’m also delighted that he isn’t throwing up pickable passes.
Believe it or not he hasn’t had a bad game yet. He will, like all QBs do from time to time. I think we’re finally well set at the position after a couple decades of trying to find the right one.
This was his “bad game”. Didn’t get that 95 QB rating, didn’t get 2 TD’s or even his usual 220 yards. No turnovers is huge though.
But eventually he will have a true bad game, every hall of famer has a 2 int game (multiple times). It will be part of his growth to see him deal with having a truly ugly game.
Gav,
I think BP can improve his deep passing,
Its not arm strength. Right now his is a B/B+ level QB who can be beat by A level qbs. If he can improve his deep game he can become an A level QB.
Who in your mind is an A-level QB in the NFC right now? Because I think the 49ers and Brock Purdy would have beaten Hurts in Philly last year save for that unfortunate play that knocked him out early.
I think as 49ers fans we want perfection, but in reality under the salary cap era we’re the most complete and scariest team out there.
Even KC with Mahomes has weaknesses. I don’t know that there’s a more complete team out there. I certainly will take my chances with Brock Purdy against Dak Prescott.
I don’t care about stats, wins are what is important to me. Brock Purdy is a winner!
Gav,
Problem is BP doesn’t play against Dak. He plays against the Cowboys D and right now they just might be better than the 9ers O. Especially McKivitz Vs. Demarcus Lawerence/Micha Parsons
Understood but you made the remark earlier about Brock being a “… B/B+ level QB who can be beat by A level qbs.” 😃
Also, they did a pretty good job against #99 today.
As frustrating as this game was, I can think of 3 positives:
1) The OL handled Donald well.
2) Purdy did not turnover the ball. Also, I can’t remember one pass where I thought it could have been intercepted.
3) Oliver redeemed himself (vs TC performance) and showed why they picked him up.
4). We won?
Deebo looked as much like Deebo 2021 than he has since 21.